Falling block single shot breech action



June 12, 1956 w. J. HAUCK 2,749,641

FALLING BLOCK smcua SHOT BREECH ACTION Filed Aug. 14, 195] 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I i A g 28/ I I 1N VENTOR ATTORNEYS;

June 12, 1956 w. J. HAUCK FALLING BLOCK smcu: SHOT BREECH ACTION R w E mm m Kw m e M Y s fl h H m t W 1.. a w 3 B L m Y B l 5 9 l 4 l A. u A w lH v June 12, 1956 w. J. HAUCK 2,749,641

FALLING BLOCK SINGLE SHOT BREECH ACTION Filed Aug. 14, 1951 sSheets-Sheet s IN VEN TOR.

w/z. aux J. //A UCK FALLING BLQCK SINGLE SHOT BREECH ACTION Wilbur J.Hauck, West Arlington, Vt.

Application August 14, 1951, Serial No. 241,827

2 Claims. (Cl. 42-23) The invention relates to a novel and improvedfalling block single shot breech action in which a new type ofconnecting link joins the cocking lever, hammer and lower tang to movethe breech block up and down, firmly locking the breech block in the upposition and retracting the hammer on its downward movement to hold thehammer back until it again contacts the sear in its upward stroke tocock the hammer.

Further, the falling block action operation which derives from theconstruction and arrangement of the new connecting link in cooperationwith the cocking lever, hammer and lower tang is combined with a verytightly secured butt stock secured to the receiver by a long, stiff,tight-fitting through bolt instead of the usual tangs, and with'a densewood forearm of the single shot rifle held securely to the breech actionby a strong light metal forecnd hanger at the front of the receiver, andextending forward under the rifle barrel to provide a bedded forearm inwhich the rifle barrel is free floating.

The combination of new falling block action with the free floatingbarrel, and stiff bolt secured butt stock provides outstanding accuracyand complete safety in target and Varmint shooting using modern highintensity cartridges (breech pressures of 50,000 pounds per square inchand higher). In target shooting under match conditions minimum targetgroups of diameter under 0.40 inch at 100 yards and under 0.90 inch at200 yards are attained; these performances, as far as is known, havenever been surpassed using a single shot rifle.

The single shot, falling block, cocking lever breech action of theinvention employs a modified U-shaped link, wherein the upward faces ofthe U are shaped in square or rectangular fashion (instead of Ytriangular fashion). The lower face of the Y is short and approximatelyat the median plane between the two upper parallel plane faces of the Y,which planes extend in the opposite direction to the lower face. Thusthe link presents two upwardly extending parallel faces or wings, havingthe same dimensions and which are separated by a distance greater thanthe thickness of the single lower downward extending face of the link.The link in face view presents a substantially rectangular projectedshape, the upper edges of the rectangle being rounded at the corners.

The hammer is joined within the two upward extending faces or cars ofthe new link by means of a hammer link pin which extends through acentrally located pin opening in the upper portions of the two extendingears of the link and through a centrally located pin opening at the baseof the triangular shaped main portion of the hammer.

At the base of the new link, the lever is joined to the link by a leverlink pin extending through the single lower portion of the link, thislink pin opening being forward of the hammer link pin opening andeccentric thereto.

The above described link-hammer-lever arrangement and constructionprovides a new mode of operation, which combines an unusualy short andvery fast hammer fall with outstanding accuracy in target shooting andcomplete Patented June 12, 1956 safety in firing modern high intensitycartridges. At the first opening movement of the finger lever, bothhammer and firing pin are retracted before the breech block moves down.The link holds the hammer down with the action open, so that it will notclose, even partially, during the loading and unloading operation, toprovide an important safety advantage in the operation of the rifle.

It was quite surprising that the new link connected to the largetriangular dog leg hammer at the lower triangle base with the hammerpin, permitted extreme accuracy of the hammer thrust against the firingpin, since from the usual experience with the hammer element in afalling block arrangement, a hammer thrust is expected to make thefiring pin catch at its lower base along the lower downward extendingsurface of the firing pin chamber housing, to thereby obtain misfires onrepeated firing, using the falling breech action of the prior art inwhich the new connecting link is absent. The inventive falling blockaction completely obviates this defect in the falling block action, andpermits remarkable uniformity in firing accuracy upon repeated shooting,which is due for the most part to the tightness and smoothness inmechanical operation of the new falling block action in the single shotrifle.

An object of the present invention is the construction of a newfallingblock single shot breech action in which a new connecting link joins thecocking lever, hammer and lower tang to move the breech block up anddown, locking the block in the up position and retracting the hammer onits downward movement to hold the hammer back until it again contactsthe sear in its upward stroke cocking the hammer.

A further object of the present invention is the construction andmechanical cooperation of a new modified U-shaped link in lateral view,having two parallel upward and extending faces of square shape and asingle downward extending face parallel to the two upward parallelbranches, the two upward faces provided with a hammer link pin extendingthrough each of said faces, the single downward extending face providedwith a lever link pin extending through a link pin opening in saiddownward face which is forward of the hammer link pin opening andeccentric thereto.

A further object of the invention is directed to the single shot rifleconstruction combining the new falling block single shot breech actionwith a tightly secured butt stock secured to the receiver by a stifftight fitting through bolt and a rifle forearm secured to the breechaction by a strong light metal fore-end hanger at the front of thereceiver extending forward under the rifle barrel providing a beddedfree floating forearm of superior accuracy in target and Varmintshooting.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear from themore detailed description set forth below, it being understood that suchmore detailed explanation is given by way of illustration andexplanation only and not by way of limitation.

In connection with that more detailed description, there is shown in:

Figure 1, a lateral cross-sectional view of the single shot rifle andthe unlocking of the bolt and withdrawal of the firing pin, illustratingthe position of the link which keeps the hammer away from the firingpin.

Figure 2, a lateral cross-sectionul view of the single shot rifle andthe breech block in the raised position, in which the new block hammer,link and firing pin arrangement of the falling block action is soarranged to illustrate the lower corner of the link resting on the upperpart of the tang shoulders, thus holding the block up.

Figure 3, a lateral cross-sectional view of the single shot rifle andthe position of the link in the downward movement of the block which isstopped by the upper part of the tang shoulder to show the lowestposition of the lever with the extraction of the case.

Fig. 4, a front view of the novel U-shaped link.

Fig. 5, a side view of the novel U-shaped link.

Fig. 6, a side view of the breech block.

Fig. 7, a cross-sectional view of the breech block along the lines 7--7of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8, a bottom view of tang 16.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the construction and mode of operation of the newfalling breech action in the single shot rifle is shown. In thesefigures, the barrel 1 engages with the receiver 4 and floats freely in adense wood forearm, which is suspended and free floating but beingsecured to a light metal fore-end hanger 2. The fore-end hanger ispreferably fabricated from light strong aluminum alloy such asDuralumin, and is so arranged that pressure may be applied to the hangeror to the forearm as the case may be. However, the floating barrelbedded in the forearm is preferred for greater accuracy in shooting withthe single shot rifle. The receiver 4 is secured to the fore-end hanger2 with a fore-end hanger bolt 5. The breech action is provided with anextractor 6 secured in the breech action with extractor pin 7. Breechblock 8 which moves up and down by the action of link 12 actuated bylever link pin 13 in lever 15 and upper link pin 11 in hammer 10, islocated in a firing position with no movement up or down of said breechblock by the engagement of the link 12 with the knob 22 at the forwardend of the lower tang. The lever 15 moves forward on the first movementof the down stroke, and the link 12 passes over the front of the lowertang 16; this forward movement retracts the hammer 10 placing it incocked position, and places the link 12 in locked position, to enablethe firing pin 9 to come back from the primer of the shell.

Hammer 10 is constructed as a triangular shaped element with a lowerprotruding and laterally extending dog leg portion 28, this latterportion engaging the bottom of mainspring 14, said mainspring located inthe spring housing containing the gas port 23. The sear 1911 on scar andtrigger member 19 is connected to the sliding breech action by triggerpin 18, and by sear spring 26, and the trigger portion extends through ahollow provided in tang 16. The trigger portion extending through thetang is so constructed and arranged as to be enclosed within theprojecting contour portions at the rear end of the lever, which portionsmove flush against the tang. The tang 16 is connected to the butt stockwith a tang bolt 27.

In Figure 1, the withdrawal of the firing pin 9, and the unlocking ofthe bolt is shown wherein the link portion contacting the tang 16 hasmoved downward away from the tang shoulder knobs 22 on the tang shoulder17 to keep hammer 10 away from firing pin 9.

In Figure 2, the operation of the falling block breech action is shownwherein the link 12 rests at its lower corner upon the upper part of thetang shoulder knobs 22, to thereby hold the block up. Hammer 10 is shownin contact position with firing pin 9, and the block is in the upposition.

In Figure 3, the lowest downward movement of lever 15 is shown wherebylink 12 moves straight down to place the block in its lower stopposition and to provide the holding engagement of the hammer tang knob24 at the rearward base peripheral portion of hammer 10 with tangshoulder.v In this position of the falling breech action, the uppermostrearward extending projection 25 of the extractor 6 engages the upperforward corner portion of the breech block.

Figs. 4 and will illustrate in detail the U-shaped link 12, having twoupwardly extending arms or faces 30 which have the same dimensions andcontain hammer link pin openings 31 therein. The base 32, of the U-shaped link, is extended downward and is approximately at the medianplane between the two upper faces or arms.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the construction of breech block 8, showingthe general outline of the block in side view. When the action isassembled, link pin 11 (Fig. l) fits through hole 31:: to pivotallyattach the hammer and link to the block. Figure 6 shows the springhousing 34 and a recess 33 in the back side of the block. This recessedsection of the block is to form a stop for the downward motion of theblock, permitting it to rest on tang knobs 22 as illustrated in Figure3.

Figure 8 illustrates a bottom view of tang member 16 showing tang knobs22, tang shoulder 17, tang bolts 27 and an opening for the trigger.

The rifle may be chambered and fitted for any of the conventionalcartridges sizes, and it is preferred to machine the breech blockelements from chrome-molybdenum steel, heat treated to give a tensilestrength of about 160,000 pounds. It is preferred to use a through boltof cold rolled steel, and the remaining parts may be heat treated toolsteel.

The free floating barrel permits ready adaptation to be made inmanipulation of hand pressure for operating the single shot rifle.

The rifle construction is readily adapted to large magnum belted caseswith an ample margin of safety.

The extractor is powerful, and is readily adapted for rimmed or rimlesscases. The lower tang is preferably provided with two knobs 22 at itsforward position on the tang shoulder, these knobs for the lockingengagement of the lower rear portion of the link, and for the slidingmovement of the link below the tang upon opening the lever. The lever 15is pivoted downward from its forwardly placed lever-receiver link pin 21(main lever link pin) and engages the link 12 with lever link pin 13 toretract the hammer 10.

Lever 15, through its connection with the link by lever link pin 13 andthrough the connection of the link with the hammer and block by pin 11,actuates the breech action. Pin 11, which fits through holes in theblock, hammer and upward arms of the link, is the only pivotalconnection between the block and the hammer and the link. Pin 13 is theonly connection between the lever and link. Before the lever is moveddownward from its position in Fig. 2, it is first pushed forward on pin21 so that the rear lower portion of the link can slide over the knobs22 on the shoulder of the tang. After the lower link section has passedthe tang knobs the lever can be lowered to its position in Fig. 3;however, on the upward stroke of the lever it must again slide forwardon pin 21 in order that the link can slide past knobs 22. On the upwardstroke of the lever the block and hammer are raised until the hammertang knob 24 contacts sear 19a. This position is best illustrated inFig. 1. Continued raising of the lever forces the lever to slide forwardenough to permit the lower rear portion of the link to pass knobs 22,forces the block up to firing position, and causes the hammer to rotateenough on pin 11, while the hammer tang is held by the sear, to cock thehammer and compress mainspring 14. Now the action is fired when thehammer is released by pulling on sear and trigger member 10, thuspermitting hammer tang 24 to pass sear 19a. The force of the mainspringrotates the hammer and thus forces the firing pin to strike the shell.

Having thus disclosed the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A falling block single shot breech action comprising a breech block,a sear, a cocking lever, a triangular shaped hammer with a forward dogleg projection, a mainspring into which said forward projection of thehammer engages, a lower tang member provided with a forward shoulderportion and provided with knob protuberances at said forward shoulderportion, and a link member connecting the cocking lever with the breechblock and hammer, said link member having two parallel spaced upwardlyextending arms of equal dimensions and a single, relatively shortdownwardly extending arm integral therewith, said hammer being pivotallyattached between the upwardly extending arms of the link and thedownwardly extending arm of the link being pivotally attached to thecocking lever, whereby on movement of the cocking lever up and down therear lower portion of the link cooperates with the knob protuberances onthe tang to (1) retract the hammer on the downward stroke of the lever,(2) lock the breech block in up position when the cocking lever hascompleted its stroke and (3) hold the hammer back until said hammercontacts the sear in the upward stroke of the lever, said cooperationbetween the link and knob protuberances being permitted by a pin andslot connection of the forward end of the cooking lever to the frame ofthe gun.

2. A falling block single shot breech action comprising a breech block,a cooking lever, a triangular shaped hammer with a forward dog legprojection, a main spring into which said forward projection of thehammer engages, a sear and trigger mounted on a trigger pin and pressingagainst a trigger spring, said sear provided with means to engage thesaid hammer in blocking position, a lower tang member having a forwardshoulder portion and provided with knob protuberances at said shoulderportion, and a link member connecting the cocking lever with the breechblock and hammer, said link member having two parallel spaced upwardlyextending arms of equal dimensions and a single, relatively shortdownwardly extending arm integral therewith, said hammer being pivotallyattached between the upwardly extending arms of the link and thedownwardly extending arm of the link being pivotally attached to thecocking lever, whereby on movement of the cocking lever up and down therear lower portion of the link cooperates with the knob protuberances onthe tang to .(1) retract the hammer on the downward stroke of the lever,(2) look the breech block in up position when the cocking lever hascompleted its stroke and (3) hold the hammer back until said hammercontacts the sear in the upward stroke of the lever, said cooperationbetween the link and knob protuberances being permitted by a pin andslot connection of the forward end of the cocking lever to the frame ofthe gun.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS298,982 Kaul May 20, 1884 306,391 Farrow Oct. 14, 1884 381,821Aughenbaugh et a1 Apr. 24, 1888 435,334 Tonks Aug. 26, 1890 972,076Goyette Oct. 4, 1910 1,325,400 Hochstein Dec. 16, 1919 1,448,297 HedrickMar. 13, 1923 2,289,098 Buhmiller July 7, 1942 2,388,149 Humeston Oct.30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 180,487 Great Britain June 1, 1922

